Net Metering in Delhi 2026 — How to Apply with BSES and Tata Power DDL

Introduction

Net metering is what turns a rooftop solar system from an expensive gadget into an investment. Without it, every unit your panels produce while you are out at work is simply wasted. With it, that surplus flows into the grid, your meter runs backwards, and you draw it back at night at no extra cost.

In Delhi, net metering is also a precondition for the PM Surya Ghar subsidy — no net meter, no commissioning certificate, no subsidy. This guide covers the rules, the application process for BSES Rajdhani, BSES Yamuna and Tata Power DDL, the documents you need, and the mistakes that cause most delays.

What Net Metering Actually Does

A conventional meter counts units in one direction. A net meter — technically a bidirectional meter — counts units flowing both ways and bills you only on the difference.

• During the day, your panels supply the house first. Anything left over is exported to the grid and recorded as an export reading.
• At night and on cloudy days, you import from the grid as usual.
• At the end of the billing cycle, you pay only for net import — imported units minus exported units.
• If exports exceed imports, the surplus carries forward as a credit to the next month.
• At the end of the settlement year, any remaining credit is settled by the DISCOM at a rate set by the regulator, which is considerably lower than the retail tariff.

This is why oversizing a system is a poor strategy. Units you consume yourself are worth the full retail tariff — ₹9 to ₹11 a unit in Delhi’s higher slabs. Units left over at the end of the year are settled at a fraction of that. Size to your consumption.

Net Metering Rules in Delhi

Rule	What Applies in Delhi
Maximum system capacity	Generally up to 100% of your sanctioned load
Single-phase connection	Typically up to about 5 kW
Three-phase connection	Required above that, up to the sanctioned load
Settlement year	1 April to 31 March
Surplus at year end	Settled at the regulator-determined rate, well below retail tariff
Transformer limit	Total rooftop solar on a distribution transformer is capped as a share of its rating

Two of these catch people out. The first is sanctioned load: if your connection is sanctioned at 3kW and you want a 5kW system, you must apply for a load enhancement before feasibility can be approved — and enhanced load usually means higher fixed charges. The second is the transformer limit, which is outside your control entirely. If your local transformer is already carrying its permitted share of rooftop solar, your feasibility approval can be reduced or refused, and there is no appeal beyond waiting for a network upgrade.

The Three Delhi DISCOMs

DISCOM	Areas Covered	Where to Apply
BSES Rajdhani (BRPL)	South and West Delhi	BSES rooftop solar portal
BSES Yamuna (BYPL)	Central and East Delhi	BSES rooftop solar portal
Tata Power DDL	North and North-West Delhi	Tata Power DDL consumer portal

Since the launch of the national PM Surya Ghar portal, most residential applications begin there and are routed to the relevant DISCOM automatically. You can still apply directly through the DISCOM portal, but if you want the central subsidy, the national portal route is the one that generates the commissioning certificate the subsidy claim depends on.

Step-by-Step Application Process

1. Register on the PM Surya Ghar national portal using your consumer number from a recent electricity bill, and verify by OTP.
2. Submit the feasibility application. The DISCOM checks your sanctioned load, your connection type and the loading on your distribution transformer.
3. Receive technical feasibility approval. This is the green light to proceed — do not order equipment before you have it.
4. Select an installer registered on the national portal and complete the installation, using ALMM-listed DCR modules.
5. Submit the installation details, plant photographs and the test report on the portal.
6. Apply for the net meter and pay the applicable meter charges.
7. DISCOM inspection: an engineer verifies earthing, protection equipment, inverter specifications and the isolation arrangement before approving.
8. Net meter installation and commissioning certificate issued through the portal.
9. Submit bank details for the subsidy DBT.

In practice, a straightforward residential application in Delhi completes in around four to seven weeks from feasibility to commissioning, assuming your documents are clean and the installation passes inspection first time.

Documents Required

• Latest electricity bill showing consumer number, sanctioned load and connection type.
• Identity and address proof of the connection holder — Aadhaar and PAN.
• Proof of ownership of the premises, or a no-objection certificate from the owner.
• Cancelled cheque or bank passbook page for the subsidy transfer, in the connection holder’s name.
• Roof photographs and a site layout, usually prepared by the installer.
• Inverter and module datasheets, with the ALMM model listing.
• Test report and installation completion certificate from the installer.

Charges to Expect

Net metering itself is not free, though the amounts are small relative to the system cost. Budget for a processing or application fee, the cost of the bidirectional meter, and meter testing charges. Most Delhi installers quote a combined figure in the range of a few thousand rupees for the meter and liaison work; ask for it to be listed separately on your quotation rather than bundled into “miscellaneous”.

Ask your installer to specify whether their quote is inclusive of net meter charges and DISCOM liaison. A quote that is ₹15,000 cheaper but excludes both is not actually cheaper.

Why Applications Get Rejected or Delayed

• Proposed capacity exceeding sanctioned load — the single most common rejection reason.
• Distribution transformer already at its rooftop solar limit.
• Name mismatch between the electricity connection, Aadhaar and bank account.
• Installation completed before feasibility approval was granted.
• Panel model not on the ALMM list, even though the brand is listed — ALMM approval is per model.
• Missing earthing or surge protection, which will fail DISCOM inspection.
• Applying through an installer not registered on the national portal, which cannot be fixed retrospectively.

Net Metering in the Rest of NCR

If you are in Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida or Ghaziabad, the principle is the same but the details differ.

State	Capacity Limit	Settlement	Notable Difference
Delhi	Up to 100% of sanctioned load	April – March	GBI paid on generation for 5 years
Haryana (DHBVN / UHBVN)	Up to sanctioned load, capped at 500 kW	April – March	Annual generation capped as a share of consumption; excess lapses
Uttar Pradesh (UPPCL)	Up to 100% of sanctioned load	April – March	Year-end surplus settled at a low fixed rate

Haryana’s rule deserves attention: net metering there is designed so that your annual generation does not substantially exceed your annual consumption, and generation beyond that threshold lapses without compensation. That makes correct sizing more important in Gurgaon than in Delhi.

Conclusion

Net metering in Delhi is straightforward once you understand the three things that actually gate it: your sanctioned load, your local transformer capacity, and whether your installer and panel models are properly registered. Get those right and a residential application typically clears in four to seven weeks.

The single best piece of advice is to size the system to your consumption rather than your roof. Self-consumed units are worth the full retail tariff; year-end surplus is settled at a fraction of it.

Get a Free Quote from Solar Squad

Solar Squad handles the complete net metering process for customers across Delhi and Gurgaon — feasibility application, DISCOM coordination, inspection support and commissioning — so you are not chasing paperwork yourself. Contact us for a free site survey and a clear timeline for your connection.

Official Sources and Further Reading

Subsidy amounts, tariffs and net metering rules are revised from time to time. These are the primary sources this guide is based on — always confirm current figures on the official portal before you sign a contract.

• PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana — official national portal
• Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC)
• BSES Delhi — rooftop solar
• Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd
• Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC)
• UPNEDA — rooftop solar and net metering FAQ

FAQs

What is net metering and how does it work in Delhi?

Net metering uses a bidirectional meter that records both the electricity you import from the grid and the surplus your solar system exports. You are billed only on the net difference, and surplus credits carry forward through the April–March settlement year.

How long does net metering approval take in Delhi?

A straightforward residential application typically completes in four to seven weeks from feasibility approval to commissioning, provided documents are in order and the installation passes DISCOM inspection first time.

Can I install solar larger than my sanctioned load in Delhi?

Not for net metering. Capacity is generally limited to 100% of sanctioned load, so you would need to apply for a load enhancement first — which usually increases your fixed charges.

What happens to unused solar credits at the end of the year?

Any surplus remaining at the close of the April–March settlement year is settled by the DISCOM at a regulator-determined rate that is significantly lower than the retail tariff, which is why oversizing is not worthwhile.

Do I need net metering to get the PM Surya Ghar subsidy?

Yes. The subsidy is released against a commissioning certificate, and that certificate is issued only after the net meter is installed and the DISCOM inspection is cleared.